NDI - DRC

Eve Thompson

fgalleto — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:05:15 +0000

Eve Thompson currently serves as resident director for NDI in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where she most recently coordinated high-level mediation efforts among political parties following the political stalemate that resulted from presidential elections fraught with irregularity and fraud. Prior to that, Ms. Thompson led a U.S. government-funded project to strengthen civil society activists in the DRC to advocate for better, more transparent and participatory governance.

Ms. Thompson has worked as a manager and consultant on various international projects in Africa, the Middle East and South America in the areas of democracy and governance, leadership and human rights. In Africa she has also worked as country director in Nigeria for Pact, Inc., also on civil society advocacy. She also worked with the national legislature in Guinea Bissau to improve performance of the legislature as a whole but particularly legislative committees.

In Amman, Jordan, Ms. Thompson was director of the United Nations University International Leadership Academy. There, she brought together mid-career professionals from around the world to reflect on leadership practices. She also spent many years in South Africa, supporting the transition to democratic rule and providing research assistance to constitutional negotiators from liberation movements. She also oversaw the U.S. contribution to the observer efforts in the country's historic elections in 1994. Later she ran a democracy consolidation project focused on improving competency in policy development, local governance and in improving women and youth participation in the governance process.

She founded the Bus Factory, a craft business incubation center in downtown Johannesburg, which is one of the anchors of the revival of Newtown, Johannesburg’s cultural district. The Bus Factory remains one of the principal tourist attractions in Newtown. Ms. Thompson is a graduate of Princeton University undergrad and Georgetown University Law Center.

Congolese Want Leaders to “Reach Out To Us,” Opinion Research Finds

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:53:30 +0000

New focus group research from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) finds an overwhelming majority of participants believe the country can become a full-fledged democracy, provided it has better leadership and unity among the people. Those surveyed were also especially concerned with the corrosive power of corruption in the country, and they want political parties and elected leaders to be more responsive to citizens.

Survey participants said elected leaders and political parties have failed when it comes to listening to their constituents and advocating for their needs. These leaders are perceived to follow a pattern: get elected and then hide from your constituents. “I would tell these politicians to leave their air-conditioned offices because it’s difficult to know or to be familiar with issues that the people face when you stay in an office,” said one participant from Kinshasa. This sentiment came up repeatedly as participants said their leaders do not have the interests of the people at heart and lack the political will to help the DRC improve.

The series of 12 focus groups, conducted in October by NDI, examined perceptions of the DRC’s most pressing economic, social and political issues; expectations of political parties and elected leaders; attitudes toward democracy; and expectations about the future of the country. Focus group participants had at least a high school education and included men and women 25-35 years old. This participant profile gives insight into the views of Congolese who, as adults, experienced the country’s first democratic elections in 2006 but whose overall quality of life depends on the country’s future development.

According to the April 26 report, Reach Out To Us: Findings from Focus Groups with Young Men and Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than half the participants listed unemployment or security as their primary concern. They believe that many of the social ills that Congolese face are a result of poverty caused by unemployment. “Employment is the foundation of everything; if someone works, he earns a salary to provide for his family and can even afford to have an education,” said one participant from Kinshasa. Congolese would like to see their government take steps to curb unemployment and insecurity in the country.

The findings are being shared with Congolese political parties and elected leaders and can serve as a starting point for political party leaders to identify and build consensus on steps needed to tackle the country’s most pressing issues. The emphasis on responsive leadership may prompt some elected leaders and political parties to increase outreach and communication with the constituents they represent.

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Published April 26, 2012

Reach Out To Us: Findings from Focus Groups with Young Men and Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

fgalleto — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:47:12 +0000

Author:

Rebecca Feeley, Driss Choukri

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/26/2012

Resource Type:

Focus Group Report

Language:

English, French

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the report (English)	1.13 MB
Read the report (francais)	1.2 MB

NDI-IFES Election Experts Recommend Broad Review of Electoral Process in the DRC

fgalleto — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:11:08 +0000

Joint mission concludes that meaningful stakeholder participation and access to all relevant electoral materials are needed for a comprehensive review

A team of international election experts has recommended a broad review of the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with the meaningful participation of all electoral stakeholders and access to all relevant electoral materials. The team, from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), was in the DRC from Jan. 5 to 13 assessing the feasibility of conducting a review of the results of the Nov. 28 legislative elections.

Joint mission concludes that meaningful stakeholder participation and access to all relevant electoral materials are needed for a comprehensive review

The experts consulted with electoral authorities, major political parties, Congolese and international election observers and others to ascertain the feasibility of a complete review of the process by a subsequent mission. The team found, however, that it would not be feasible to conduct such a broad review at this time.

NDI and IFES shared these conclusions with the DRC’s National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) on Jan.12, and confirmed that both organizations stand ready to support such a review if their assistance is requested.

IFES and NDI remain committed to assisting efforts to advancing credible, democratic elections in the DRC. The organizations would like to thank all stakeholders consulted during the mission, for the time they spent with the group in the midst of the ongoing electoral cycle.

The mission was funded through a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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Published Jan. 25, 2012

NDI-IFES Election Experts Recommend Broad Review of Electoral Process in the DRC

fgalleto — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:58:22 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, IFES

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/25/2012

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	100.48 KB

NDI and IFES Deploy International Election Experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo

rrunyan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:45:42 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/04/2012

Resource Type:

Press Releasae

Language:

English, French

Media Type:

PDF

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the release (English)	101.3 KB
Read the release (French)	204.72 KB

Kinshasa Tense Ahead of DRC Vote Result | Dec. 6, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:36:11 +0000

Al Jazeera | Link to story »

The winner of last week's presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is due to be named on Tuesday, stirring fears of new unrest in the conflict-prone country.

"No one I have spoken to, from any party has expressed any desire for violence, and the onset of violence would mean that talks have broken down," Anita Vandenveld, NDI country director.

Link to story »

DR Congo Poll Amid Delays and Violence | Nov. 28, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:27:02 +0000

PRI's The World | Link to story »

Voters in Democratic Republic of Congo went to the polls today in the central African country’s second election after more than four decades of dictatorship and a series of wars that left millions dead.

“This is a difficult country to hold elections,” said Anita Vandenbeld, the Congo country director for the National Democratic Institute, which has been working with political parties here.

Link to story »

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Congo Stability That Boosted Copper Output at Risk in Vote»

Arrival of Ballot Boxes in DR Congo Raise Hopes for November Elections | Nov. 2, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:27:43 +0000

Channels | Link to story »

Former US ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson who is in the country at the invitation of the NGO National Democratic Institute to discuss plans for preventing election-related violence said Congo is capable of staging free and fair election, according to Reuters.

"This is the election determinant of Congo's future. This is… the path is going to be democracy or some kind of instability. And the fact that there's such potential for a good fair positive election, with some problems, there are going to be problems! There's going to be some mishaps, hiccups, complaints. But the fact that it is happening so dynamically, so comprehensively is a very good sign," he said.

Link to story »

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Signature de la déclaration de l'élimination des violences sexuelles»

During NDI Mission, Congolese Political Parties Reconvene All-Party Forum, Adopt Anti-Sexual Violence Statement

fgalleto — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:35:14 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/01/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the release	96.18 KB

RDC : l'Ambassadeur Américain Richardson Salue le Travail de la Céni | Oct. 31, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:43:38 +0000

RFI | Link to story »

Les élections auront bel et bien lieu le 28 novembre 2011. L'ambassadeur américain Bill Richardson l'a déclaré dimanche 31 octobre à Kinshasa. Invité en RDC par le National démocrate institut (NDI), le diplomate a eu un échange avec les candidats à la présidentielle en présence du président de la Commission électorale nationale indépendante (Céni). A l'issue de la séance, l'opposition a demandé la démission des ministres, des gouverneurs de provinces et des autres agents de la territoriale qui sont candidats à la députation nationale.

Link to story »

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During NDI Mission, Congolese Political Parties Reconvene All-Party Forum, Adopt Anti-Sexual Violence Statement

fgalleto — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:32:48 +0000

The Congolese National Independent Election Commission (CENI) is reconvening its forum for dialogue with all major Congolese political parties, which had not met since July. The breakthrough came during a pre-election mission organized by NDI and led by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson.

Left to right: Fomunyoh, Richardson, Kabila meet

“Despite differing views regarding some aspects of the elections, the delegation found a remarkable consensus on the need for the elections to proceed smoothly and successfully on Nov. 28,” the delegation said. “We hope that the election commission, candidates and political parties will continue to use the forum as a venue to discuss peacefully and resolve questions and concerns about the elections.”

During the delegation’s visit, the CENI also held a first ever meeting with the 11 presidential candidates to update them on the progress of election preparations and agreed to continue to hold similar weekly meetings through election day.

In addition, the pre-election mission helped move forward an agreement drafted by the major political parties and the presidential candidates to support a joint “Declaration on the Elimination of Sexual Violence in DRC.” Through the declaration, the parties call for exceptional efforts to address the causes of sexual violence, an end to impunity, care for victims and the involvement of women on issues of peace and security.

“The declaration signals a concern by Congolese leaders at the highest levels to address the problem of sexually-based violence and recognizes that their leadership is needed to eradicate it,” Richardson said. “Moreover, issuing this joint declaration during the intense political competition of an election campaign shows that Congolese political leaders are willing to work across party lines to reach agreements for the good of the country.”

The delegation, which was in the DRC from Oct. 27-Nov. 1, also included NDI’s Senior Associate for Africa, Chris Fomunyoh, and NDI’s DRC Country Director Anita Vandenbeld. The mission took place as the campaign period began, amid disagreements over the conduct of the election process and questions about the country’s preparedness for the polls.

The delegation discussed plans for preventing election-related violence, ensuring election transparency and continuing democratic dialogue with presidential candidates, including current President Joseph Kabila, Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, Vital Kamerhe, former speaker of the National Assembly from the Union for the Congolese Nation, Kengo wa Dondo, Senate president, the other presidential candidates and CENI Chairman Rev. Daniel Mulunda-Ngoy. Additionally, the delegation met with members of the diplomatic community, representatives of international nongovernmental organizations and Congolese civil society leaders to discuss the security situation and ways to eradicate sexual violence in eastern DRC.

NDI has been working with all major Congolese political parties to foster interparty dialogue and support their peaceful competition in elections. An example is a steering committee of 15 majority, opposition and unaligned political parties that has been meeting every Wednesday since July. The delegation’s first meeting was a briefing by this steering committee. Over the past four months, the Institute has organized multiparty workshops on communications, campaign management and women’s political involvement to help parties’ participation in the elections.

Related:

Published Nov. 1, 2011

Declaration on the elimination of sexual violence in DRC

fgalleto — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:03:09 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/01/2011

Resource Type:

Declaration

Language:

English, French

English

French

Attachment	Size
Read the declaration (English)	101 KB
Read the declaration (francais)	117.1 KB

NDI E-news: Women's Leadership, Zambia, Focus Group Research | October 2011

ntekeei — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:54:53 +0000

October 2011

Women Seeking Leadership Roles to Make Change

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Women running for office in the Democratic Republic of Congo learn to use iKNOW Politics. Photo courtesy of NDI_DRC.

"Success without democracy is improbable. Democracy without women is impossible."
— NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright

Around the world, women in ever-increasing numbers are taking steps to join in the political process at all levels of government. Partnering with men and supporting each other, women are running for office, rising in the ranks of political parties and advocating for issues that matter in their lives.

In Egypt, where the first post-uprising election will begin Nov. 28, women are working to overcome obstacles presented by both law and custom to win election to the parliament that will draft the country's new constitution. NDI campaign schools are helping them learn about campaign strategies, message development, voter contact, public speaking and the country's complex electoral code as they prepare their candidacies.

In the Balkans, women from political parties are working together across ethnic lines and national boundaries to inject new life into stalled politics. They are championing new education policies that will help women become more entrepreneurial and establishing networks that will help them exchange best practices and overcome barriers to women's participation in politics.

At the campaign school in Cairo.

In Kazakhstan, women make up 58 percent of the civil service but hold less than 9 percent of high-level positions. Women and men from across the country came together last month to draft an action plan to boost opportunities for women to reach decision-making positions in government. The plan calls for a cabinet-level Ministry of Gender Development, creating training schools for women, encouraging women in rural areas to participate in politics and other measures.

During the Democratic Republic of Congo's last legislative elections, fewer than 1,100 of 9,000 candidates were women. To encourage more women to run in November elections, NDI held a campaign school where women interested in parliament learned what it takes to win. Hundreds of women turned out to learn about iKNOW Politics, an online network dedicated to the advancement of women in politics.

In Zambia, Observers Cite Accurate Results, Peaceful Process

Zambia’s Civil Society Election Coalition deployed more than 9,000 highly-trained monitors around the country to observe the voting and counting in last month’s elections. About 1,000 of those were assigned to a nationally representative sample of polling stations. Their conclusion, stated "with great confidence," was that the results announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia accurately reflected the votes cast and that the process was generally smooth and peaceful. An NDI pre-election observation mission in August, led by Quett Ketumile Masire, former president of Botswana, and NDI Vice Chair Thomas Daschle, pointed out “noteworthy challenges” in the electoral environment and said the country could move forward significantly if its elections were credible and peaceful. Read more»

Liberian Elections Generally Peaceful, Orderly

The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), a coalition of seven civil society organizations and a partner of NDI's, fielded 2,000 election monitors to polling locations across the country to observe Liberia's presidential and legislative polls. Based on preliminary reports, the ECC called the elections "generally peaceful and orderly," and urged political parties to respect the official vote totals, expected later this month. Read more»

Key Reforms Needed to Clean Up Afghan Elections

Political and civil society representatives are calling on the Afghan government to carry out critical reforms to clean up the country's fraud-plagued election system. These include increased transparency in election management bodies, improvements to political parties and a better election law. Representatives of civil society, election agencies, parliament, local government, political parties, academia and the media all worked together to come up with an action plan to advance future reforms. Read more»

Citizen Organizations Work to Bolster Parliaments and Public Engagement, Survey Finds

A new report by NDI and the World Bank Institute examines the efforts of some 190 parliamentary monitoring organizations that are monitoring 82 parliaments around the world. These groups are helping citizens sift through and make sense of vast amounts of parliamentary information on such topics as voting records, the content of floor debates and committee deliberations to ensure that citizen interests are represented and legislators are held accountable. Read more»

New Focus Group Research Released in Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, Somalia

Public opinion research can help governments, political parties and civil society better respond to the issues citizens care about most.

In Tunisia, where this month's constituent assembly elections will be the first competitive poll in the country's history, focus group research shows a widening divide between citizens and decision-makers. Citizens are frustrated by a lack of economic opportunities and perceive political parties as debating issues unrelated to their daily lives. Read more»

In Kyrgyzstan, where voters will choose a president Oct. 30, unemployment and corruption are top issues for voters. Focus group research found that ethnic tensions were still strong, but had been supplanted by unemployment and corruption as issues of top concern. Read more»

In Somalia, new research shows rising popular support for writing a new constitution. Somalis are eager to contribute to their country's future, and want a Somali-led response to conflict and greater inclusion in the transition to a permanent government. Read more»

Importance of Authentic Elections and Unhindered Election Observation Stressed at OSCE Warsaw Meeting

Speaking for the United States at the annual human rights meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Patrick Merloe, NDI's director of electoral programs, emphasized the importance of a genuinely competitive electoral process — before, during and after election day. Citing Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Macedonia as examples of recent, well-run elections in the OSCE region, Merloe stressed the crucial role that citizen and international monitors have in assessing the validity of an election. Read more»

President Ouattara: Reconciliation and Security Reform Key to Recovery in Côte d'Ivoire

The president of Côte d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, stressed the importance of reconciliation following months of violence and displacement in his country during a Washington, D.C., appearance. "The process will be long, but we are determined and I believe we will get there," he said Sept. 23 at an event cosponsored by NDI. Read more or watch the speech»

Don't Miss NDI's 2011 Democracy Award Dinner

Join NDI Nov. 7 as we celebrate the Arab Spring and honor three supporters of democracy at our annual Democracy Award Dinner. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will give the keynote address. The W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award will posthumously honor Geraldine Ferraro, Richard Holbrooke and Charles Manatt for their lifelong commitment to democracy. Appropriate Communication Techniques for Development (ACT), an Egyptian women's group advocating full inclusion of women in the new Egyptian political order, will receive this year's Madeleine K. Albright grant. Buy your ticket»


The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

DRC Women Running for Office with Help from Global Women’s Network

ntekeei — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:34:02 +0000

iKNOW Politics, an online network dedicated to the advancement of women in politics around the world, has come to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It’s a country where women are significantly underrepresented politically and where, as the nation prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections next month, hundreds of women turned out to learn how the online network could help them build successful candidacies.

More than 250 women leaders, candidates, activists and representatives of women’s organizations came together for a Sept. 20 launch event that was followed by a week-long campaign school for 100 women planning to run in elections Nov. 28. During the last polls, held in 2006, fewer than 1,100 of 9,000 candidates for parliament were women. More women are expected to run this time.

Women candidates receive guidance on best practices for effectively running a political campaign.

iKNOW Politics, the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics, has nearly 11,000 members around the world. Participants can post information to the site, ask questions of the network’s 70 experts from 30 countries and take part in e-discussions on a variety of political topics. On average, the website attracts 15,500 visits per month. In operation since 2007, iKNOW Politics operates in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. It is a joint venture of NDI, International IDEA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women.

At the launch event, the Congolese minister for women and families, Marie-Ange Lukiana, called on the women to take their place in the country’s political life. “In this campaign, we do not want to see any woman attacking one another,” she said to loud applause.

Several women leaders spoke about their experiences in politics, including party leaders Marguerite Lusamba Thatcher, president of the Rally of Conciliatory Democrats (Rassemblement des démocrates conciliants, RADECO), and Jacqueline Bisimwa, president of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs (l’Association des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises, ASSOFE). Thatcher, who was a presidential candidate in the 2006 elections, will run for office in November.

Among those speaking at the event were Nick Rene Hartmann, UNDP resident director; Francoise Ngendahayo Kayiramirwa, UN Women resident director; and Anita Vandenbeld, NDI resident director. Vandenbeld, who left her position as iKNOW Politics global manager in 2010 to run for parliament in Canada, told the audience, “It was women around the world, especially African women, who gave me the courage to run for office myself, and now it is my turn to encourage you.”

Mariam Diallo, Sub-Saharan Africa coordinator for iKNOW Politics, gave a tutorial on how to use the iKNOW Politics website, including the online library and discussion circle. During candidate school, women practiced using the website. Other topics included the use of social media and the Internet for political campaigning, how to manage and plan an election campaign, and political communications.

Related:

Published Oct. 20, 2011

NDI - DRC

Eve Thompson

Congolese Want Leaders to “Reach Out To Us,” Opinion Research Finds

Reach Out To Us: Findings from Focus Groups with Young Men and Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

NDI-IFES Election Experts Recommend Broad Review of Electoral Process in the DRC

NDI-IFES Election Experts Recommend Broad Review of Electoral Process in the DRC

NDI and IFES Deploy International Election Experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo

Kinshasa Tense Ahead of DRC Vote Result | Dec. 6, 2011

DR Congo Poll Amid Delays and Violence | Nov. 28, 2011

Arrival of Ballot Boxes in DR Congo Raise Hopes for November Elections | Nov. 2, 2011

During NDI Mission, Congolese Political Parties Reconvene All-Party Forum, Adopt Anti-Sexual Violence Statement

RDC : l'Ambassadeur Américain Richardson Salue le Travail de la Céni | Oct. 31, 2011

During NDI Mission, Congolese Political Parties Reconvene All-Party Forum, Adopt Anti-Sexual Violence Statement

Left to right: Fomunyoh, Richardson, Kabila meet

Declaration on the elimination of sexual violence in DRC

NDI E-news: Women's Leadership, Zambia, Focus Group Research | October 2011

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DRC Women Running for Office with Help from Global Women’s Network